From Stray Dog to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

This is a record of an interview with Miaoyin, a spirit who sought Chao Du at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. She now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon her life as a stray dog and her previous human existence. Recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on November 17, 2023.

Miaoyin speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. It has been a long time since I last spoke. When I was a dog, I rarely made a sound because I was constantly afraid. Now, I have taken on a human form, and through the compassion of Practitioner Su, I have been guided to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su. Along with the other Bodhisattvas who have arrived here in the Western Land, I kneel before the Buddha, bowing my head in profound gratitude."

A Cycle of Wandering

"I was not a dog for just one lifetime. For many lifetimes, I was a stray dog, wandering like a beggar, searching everywhere for scraps of food. It was a life of immense suffering. Yet, when I look back at my past, I realise that this was all the result of the karma I had created myself. There is nothing to pity; it was a debt I had to pay."

The Arrogance of a Wealthy Youth

"Many lifetimes before I became a dog, I was a wealthy young master. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and from childhood, I had everything I ever wanted. I never lacked for money. In that lifetime, I was incredibly extravagant and arrogant. My family never taught me the proper way to live, and as I grew up, I created a mountain of negative karma."

"I once kicked a beggar to death. He had come to me to beg for food, but I found him filthy, and I felt that his act of begging was an insult to my status. My temper was explosive, and I kicked that beggar repeatedly. He was so thin—truly nothing but skin and bones—and he was quite elderly. After being kicked several times by a young, strong man like me, he lost consciousness. I thought he was just pretending, but to my horror, he had actually died."

Facing the Consequences

"That incident was just one of the many karmic debts I incurred. You can see how heavy my karma was and how much I owed to others. That is why I had to spend several lifetimes as a dog to repay those debts. Being a stray dog, in particular, is a testament to the fact that the laws of karma and cause and effect are never empty."

"In this lifetime, I was once again a stray dog. I was incredibly fortunate to encounter a compassionate Bodhisattva who helped me receive the deliverance of Practitioner Su. Only then was I able to shed my canine form and escape the cycle of reincarnated suffering."

Repentance and Liberation

"After I was able to understand the Dharma talks given by Practitioner Su, I felt a deep, overwhelming sense of repenting. I spent my days in tears, chanting the name of Namo Amituofo incessantly, and constantly apologising to the beings I had harmed in my past. Now that I have been saved, I hope that they, too, will have the opportunity to be saved."

"During today's Dharma Assembly, I saw my karmic creditors. There were so many of them, and they all looked so full of hatred and suffering. I knelt there, weeping, and pleaded with them to let go of their resentment, to follow the Buddha, and to leave suffering behind as soon as possible."

"I am so grateful to Practitioner Su for his compassion in helping ignorant spirits like us. Only through his guidance did we have the chance to achieve liberation."

"Namo Amituofo."

"Miaoyin bows in reverence."